"Masterly. . . . Sensitively explores togetherness, aloneness, betrayal and love." --The New York Times Book Review2016 Honor Book in Fiction, Boston Globe Horn Book AwardA NYT Editors' Choice and NYT Notable Children's Books of 2015This brilliant novel by Newbery Medal winner Rebecca Stead explores multiple perspectives on the bonds and limits of friendship. Bridge is an accident survivor who's wondering why she's still alive. Emily has new curves and an almost-boyfriend who wants a certain kind of picture. Tabitha sees through everybody's games--or so she tells the world. The three girls are best friends with one rule: No fighting. Can it get them through seventh grade? This year everything is different for Sherm Russo as he gets to know Bridge Barsamian. What does it mean to fall for a girl--as a friend? On Valentine's Day, an unnamed high school girl struggles with a betrayal. How long can she hide in plain sight? Each memorable character navigates the challenges of love and change in this captivating novel. Praise for Goodbye StrangerSix Starred ReviewsPublishers Weekly Best Books of 2015School Library Journal Best Books of 2015Booklist Editor's Choice 2015The Horn Book's Fanfare: Best Books of 2015The Washington Post Best Books of 2015The New York Times Notable Children's Books of 2015 "This astonishingly profound novel is not your average middle-school friendship tale." --The Horn Book, Starred "Stead shows how strongly love of all kinds can smooth the juddering path toward adulthood. Winsome, bighearted, and altogether rewarding." --Booklist, Starred "[Stead] captures the stomach-churning moments of a misstep or an unplanned betrayal and reworks these events with grace, humor, and polish into possibilities for kindness and redemption. Superb." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred "This memorable story about female friendships, silly bets, different kinds of love, and bad decisions is authentic in detail and emotion." --Publishers Weekly, Starred "Filled with humor [and] delightful coincidences. . . . An immensely satisfying addition for Stead's many fans." --School Library Journal, Starred "The author as usual deftly interweaves her plot strands into an organic whole, and between the multifocal plot and the exploration on growth and self-recognition . . . deeply explores mistakes, and forgiveness, and growing away from people as well as toward them."--The Bulletin, Starred "This eloquent story of friendship, first love, and identity will resonate powerfully with readers." --VOYA, Perfect Ten "Stead raises questions about whether a relationship can survive change. If someone makes a mistake, can you forgive the person, if not the act? Can two people reconcile, if they are both willing to process what happened? Or is the change more systemic--has one of you become a stranger? . . . It's a question all of the characters ask themselves at some point in Stead's perfectly synchronized novel." --Shelf AwarenessFrom the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

About the Author

REBECCA STEAD is the author of When You Reach Me, which was a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Newbery Medal and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction, and Liar & Spy, which was also a New York Times bestseller, won the Guardian Prize for Children's Fiction, and was on multiple state master lists and best of the year lists. Her most recent book, Goodbye Stranger, was a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book for Fiction and a New York Times bestseller. She is also the author of First Light, which was nominated for many state awards. She lives in New York City with her family. Visit her online at rebeccasteadbooks.com.

Reviews

A New York Times Bestseller An ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults A Junior Library Guild Selection Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Guardian, NPR, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, The Horn Book Magazine, Booklist Named to Multiple State Award Lists "Winsome, bighearted, and altogether rewarding." --Booklist, Starred review ..".Stead's writing [is]... filled with humor, delightful coincidences... An immensely satisfying addition for Stead's many fans." --School Library Journal, Starred review ..". [Stead] captures the stomach-churning moments of a misstep or an unplanned betrayal and reworks these events with grace, humor, and polish into possibilities for kindness and redemption. Superb." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred review "This memorable story about female friendships, silly bets, different kinds of love, and bad decisions is authentic in detail and emotion--another Stead hallmark." --Publishers Weekly, Starred review "The handing-down of advice and wisdom from older girls and women is a welcome theme throughout the book and far too rare in female coming-of-age stories; it's just one of many reasons this astonishingly profound novel is not your average middle-school friendship tale." --The Horn Book, Starred review "The author as usual deftly interweaves her plot strands into an organic whole, and between the multifocal plot and the exploration on growth and self-recognition..." --Bulletin, Starred review "Stead can brilliantly summon what it feels like to be a young adolescent ... [Goodbye Stranger] is full of fun and generosity, and ... it is beautifully balanced." --Wall Street Journal "This novel not only sensitively explores togetherness, aloneness, betrayal and love, it also acknowledges something crucial to the business of growing up: how anyone's personal 'we of me' might look different a little while from now, and later still, different again." --Meg Wolitzer for New York Times Book Review "Absolutely relatable and full of heart." --Bustle.com "Beautifully written and perfectly paced ... Stead doesn't talk down to her intended audience (ages 10 and up) or even to adult readers long past seventh grade who may well be surprised by the flood of real-life memories her fictional world dislodges ... Goodbye Stranger will remind you of who you are." --Houston Chronicle "A moving blend of present-day and historic, romantic love and familial love, deep questions and just-for-fun pursuits." --BookPage "[Stead] can see into the souls of young people as they begin to grow conscious of how others view them from the outside and how they feel on the inside, and she has the skill to illuminate how they grapple with these gaps and overlaps in perception." --Shelf-Awareness "[A]s authentic as it gets ... This is a landmark in literature on the friendships of young women ... Goodbye Stranger packs a wallop of emotion that's a true pleasure to be leveled by." --The Brooklyn Rail "Stead manages to infuse her book with a timeless quality, particularly in the way she so accurately taps into universal feelings of trying to nail down exactly who one is supposed to be. Stead's humble story is one that is deeply felt, and perhaps one of the strongest children's novels of 2015 so far." --National Post "This marvelous, life-affirming novel, told from three perspectives, explores the unsettling, pivotal changes of adolescence as three best friends start seventh grade." --Buffalo News "A school story of substance and literary finesse."--The Toronto Star PRAISE FOR GOODBYE STRANGER -Winsome, bighearted, and altogether rewarding.- --Booklist, Starred -...Stead's writing [is]... filled with humor, delightful coincidences... An immensely satisfying addition for Stead's many fans.- --School Library Journal, Starred -... [Stead] captures the stomach-churning moments of a misstep or an unplanned betrayal and reworks these events with grace, humor, and polish into possibilities for kindness and redemption. Superb.- --Kirkus Reviews, Starred -This memorable story about female friendships, silly bets, different kinds of love, and bad decisions is authentic in detail and emotion--another Stead hallmark.- --Publishers Weekly, Starred -The handing-down of advice and wisdom from older girls and women is a welcome theme throughout the book and far too rare in female coming-of-age stories; it's just one of many reasons this astonishingly profound novel is not your average middle-school friendship tale.- --The Horn Book, Starred -The author as usual deftly interweaves her plot strands into an organic whole, and between the multifocal plot and the exploration on growth and self-recognition...- --Bulletin, Starred -Stead can brilliantly summon what it feels like to be a young adolescent ... [Goodbye Stranger] is full of fun and generosity, and ... it is beautifully balanced.- --Wall Street Journal -This novel not only sensitively explores togetherness, aloneness, betrayal and love, it also acknowledges something crucial to the business of growing up: how anyone's personal 'we of me' might look different a little while from now, and later still, different again.- --Meg Wolitzer for New York Times Book Review -Absolutely relatable and full of heart.- --Bustle.com -Beautifully written and perfectly paced ... Stead doesn't talk down to her intended audience (ages 10 and up) or even to adult readers long past seventh grade who may well be surprised by the flood of real-life memories her fictional world dislodges ... Goodbye Stranger will remind you of who you are.- --Houston Chronicle -A moving blend of present-day and historic, romantic love and familial love, deep questions and just-for-fun pursuits.- --BookPage -[Stead] can see into the souls of young people as they begin to grow conscious of how others view them from the outside and how they feel on the inside, and she has the skill to illuminate how they grapple with these gaps and overlaps in perception.- --Shelf-Awareness -[A]s authentic as it gets ... This is a landmark in literature on the friendships of young women ... Goodbye Stranger packs a wallop of emotion that's a true pleasure to be leveled by.- --The Brooklyn Rail -Stead manages to infuse her book with a timeless quality, particularly in the way she so accurately taps into universal feelings of trying to nail down exactly who one is supposed to be. Stead's humble story is one that is deeply felt, and perhaps one of the strongest children's novels of 2015 so far.- --National Post -This marvelous, life-affirming novel, told from three perspectives, explores the unsettling, pivotal changes of adolescence as three best friends start seventh grade.- --Buffalo News -A school story of substance and literary finesse.---The Toronto Star PRAISE FOR LIAR & SPY Winner of the Guardian Prize for Children's Fiction Four Starred Reviews -As close to perfect as middle-grade novels come.- --Publishers Weekly, Starred -Original and winning.- --Kirkus Reviews, Starred -A small masterpiece.- --The Christian Science Monitor PRAISE FOR WHEN YOU REACH ME Winner of the Newbery Medal Five Starred Reviews -Smart and mesmerizing.- --The New York Times Book Review -A superb and intricate tale.- --The Wall Street Journal -Complex. . . . It's easy to imagine readers . . . spending hours pondering the provocative questions it raises.- --Publishers Weekly, Starred From the Hardcover edition. PRAISE FOR GOODBYE STRANGER "Winsome, bighearted, and altogether rewarding." --Booklist, Starred ..".Stead's writing [is]... filled with humor, delightful coincidences... An immensely satisfying addition for Stead's many fans." --School Library Journal, Starred ..". [Stead] captures the stomach-churning moments of a misstep or an unplanned betrayal and reworks these events with grace, humor, and polish into possibilities for kindness and redemption. Superb." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred "This memorable story about female friendships, silly bets, different kinds of love, and bad decisions is authentic in detail and emotion--another Stead hallmark." --Publishers Weekly, Starred "The handing-down of advice and wisdom from older girls and women is a welcome theme throughout the book and far too rare in female coming-of-age stories; it's just one of many reasons this astonishingly profound novel is not your average middle-school friendship tale." --The Horn Book, Starred "The author as usual deftly interweaves her plot strands into an organic whole, and between the multifocal plot and the exploration on growth and self-recognition..." --Bulletin, Starred "Stead can brilliantly summon what it feels like to be a young adolescent ... [Goodbye Stranger] is full of fun and generosity, and ... it is beautifully balanced." --Wall Street Journal "This novel not only sensitively explores togetherness, aloneness, betrayal and love, it also acknowledges something crucial to the business of growing up: how anyone's personal 'we of me' might look different a little while from now, and later still, different again." --Meg Wolitzer for New York Times Book Review "Absolutely relatable and full of heart." --Bustle.com "Beautifully written and perfectly paced ... Stead doesn't talk down to her intended audience (ages 10 and up) or even to adult readers long past seventh grade who may well be surprised by the flood of real-life memories her fictional world dislodges ... Goodbye Stranger will remind you of who you are." --Houston Chronicle "A moving blend of present-day and historic, romantic love and familial love, deep questions and just-for-fun pursuits." --BookPage "[Stead] can see into the souls of young people as they begin to grow conscious of how others view them from the outside and how they feel on the inside, and she has the skill to illuminate how they grapple with these gaps and overlaps in perception." --Shelf-Awareness "[A]s authentic as it gets ... This is a landmark in literature on the friendships of young women ... Goodbye Stranger packs a wallop of emotion that's a true pleasure to be leveled by." --The Brooklyn Rail "Stead manages to infuse her book with a timeless quality, particularly in the way she so accurately taps into universal feelings of trying to nail down exactly who one is supposed to be. Stead's humble story is one that is deeply felt, and perhaps one of the strongest children's novels of 2015 so far." --National Post "This marvelous, life-affirming novel, told from three perspectives, explores the unsettling, pivotal changes of adolescence as three best friends start seventh grade." --Buffalo News "A school story of substance and literary finesse."--The Toronto Star PRAISE FOR LIAR & SPY Winner of the Guardian Prize for Children's Fiction Four Starred Reviews "As close to perfect as middle-grade novels come." --Publishers Weekly, Starred "Original and winning." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred "A small masterpiece." --The Christian Science Monitor PRAISE FOR WHEN YOU REACH ME Winner of the Newbery Medal Five Starred Reviews "Smart and mesmerizing." --The New York Times Book Review "A superb and intricate tale." --The Wall Street Journal "Complex. . . . It's easy to imagine readers . . . spending hours pondering the provocative questions it raises." --Publishers Weekly, Starred From the Hardcover edition. PRAISE FOR "GOODBYE STRANGER" "Winsome, bighearted, and altogether rewarding." "Booklist, "Starred Stead s writing [is] filled with humor, delightful coincidences An immensely satisfying addition for Stead s many fans. "School Library Journal, "Starred ..". [Stead]captures the stomach-churning moments of a misstep or an unplanned betrayal and reworks these events with grace, humor, and polish into possibilities for kindness and redemption. Superb. "Kirkus Reviews, "Starred This memorable story about female friendships, silly bets, different kinds of love, and bad decisions is authentic in detail and emotion another Stead hallmark. "Publishers Weekly, "Starred The handing-down of advice and wisdom from older girls and women is a welcome theme throughout the book and far too rare in female coming-of-age stories; it s just one of many reasons this astonishingly profound novel is not your average middle-school friendship tale. "The Horn Book, "Starred The author as usual deftly interweaves her plot strands into an organic whole, and between the multifocal plot and the exploration on growth and self-recognition "Bulletin," Starred Stead can brilliantly summon what it feels like to be a young adolescent ...["Goodbye Stranger"] is full of fun and generosity, and ... it is beautifully balanced. "Wall Street Journal" This novel not only sensitively explores togetherness, aloneness, betrayal and love, it also acknowledges something crucial to the business of growing up: how anyone s personal we of me might look different a little while from now, and later still, different again. "Meg Wolitzer for New York Times Book Review" Absolutely relatable and full of heart. "Bustle.com" "" Beautifully written and perfectly paced ... Stead doesn t talk down to her intended audience (ages 10 and up) or even to adult readers long past seventh grade who may well be surprised by the flood of real-life memories her fictional world dislodges ..."Goodbye Stranger "will remind you of who you are. "Houston Chronicle" "" A moving blend of present-day and historic, romantic love and familial love, deep questions and just-for-fun pursuits. "BookPage" "" [Stead] can see into the souls of young people as they begin to grow conscious of how others view them from the outside and how they feel on the inside, and she has the skill to illuminate how they grapple with these gaps and overlaps in perception. "Shelf-Awareness" [A]s authentic as it gets ... This is a landmark in literature on the friendships of young women ..."Goodbye Stranger"packs a wallop of emotion that s a true pleasure to be leveled by. "The Brooklyn Rail" Stead manages to infuse her book with a timeless quality, particularly in the way she so accurately taps into universal feelings of trying to nail down exactly who one is supposed to be. Stead s humble story is one that is deeply felt, and perhaps one of the strongest children s novels of 2015 so far. "National Post" "" This marvelous, life-affirming novel, told from three perspectives, explores the unsettling, pivotal changes of adolescence as three best friends start seventh grade. "Buffalo News" A school story of substance and literary finesse. "The Toronto Star" PRAISE FOR "LIAR & SPY" Winner of the "Guardian" Prize for Children's Fiction Four Starred Reviews "As close to perfect as middle-grade novels come." "Publishers Weekly, " Starred "Original and winning." "Kirkus Reviews, " Starred "A small masterpiece." "The Christian Science Monitor" PRAISE FOR "WHEN YOU REACH ME" Winner of the Newbery Medal Five Starred Reviews "Smart and mesmerizing." "The New York Times Book Review " "A superb and intricate tale." "The Wall Street Journal " "Complex. . . . It's easy to imagine readers . . . spending hours pondering the provocative questions it raises." "Publishers Weekly, " Starred "From the Hardcover edition.""